After Hanumangarh, Bundi Farmers Set to Mount Fresh Challenge to Bhajanlal Government; Major Demands Placed

Even as the controversy over the ethanol factory in Hanumangarh continues to simmer, the Bhajanlal-led Rajasthan government is facing another major challenge from the farming community—this time from Bundi district. Farmers of the Hadoti region have announced a large-scale Mahapanchayat on December 28, raising long-pending demands and warning of an intensified agitation if their issues remain unaddressed.

The Mahapanchayat will be held at the Ada Gela Balaji Temple in Keshoraipatan, focusing primarily on the revival of the Keshoraipatan Sugar Mill, which has remained closed for the past 22 years. Farmers argue that the prolonged shutdown has pushed the region into economic distress and mounting debt.

Key Demands of the Farmers

The farmers have outlined several major demands, including:

• Immediate reopening and operation of the Keshoraipatan Sugar Mill
• Fair and remunerative prices for agricultural produce
• Adequate canal water supply, especially to tail-end farmers
• Daytime electricity supply for agricultural operations instead of night hours

With protests already underway in Hanumangarh over the proposed ethanol factory, farmers from Kota, Jhalawar, Baran, and Bundi districts are now mobilizing under a unified platform, signaling a broader farmers’ movement in Rajasthan.

Leaders Rally Support

Young farmer leader Giriraj Gautam, who is spearheading the movement, said preparations for the Mahapanchayat are in full swing. He confirmed that prominent youth leader Naresh Meena has assured his participation and support for the agitation.

Senior farmer leader Dashrath Kumar is scheduled to meet Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) chief and MP Hanuman Beniwal and BAP MP Rajkumar Roat in New Delhi to formally invite them to the Mahapanchayat and discuss the future course of the movement. Samajwadi Party MLA Atul Pradhan has also extended his consent to attend.

“This Time, It’s Do or Die”

Calling it an “all-or-nothing fight,” Giriraj Gautam said the Mahapanchayat will decide the next phase of the agitation.

“Farmers have been in debt for over two decades. We elected leaders to Assemblies and Parliament, but no one raised our most crucial issue. Now, farmers and youth will fight their own battle—and win,” he said.

Rising Grassroots Support

Naveen Shringi, a representative of the Keshoraipatan Sugar Mill Joint Farmers Coordination Committee, said there is growing enthusiasm among farmers, youth, and women across villages. Continuous meetings are being held to mobilize support for the December 28 Mahapanchayat.

Farmers argue that alternative crops have repeatedly resulted in losses, making sugarcane cultivation—and thus the sugar mill—essential for their economic survival and a sustainable future for the region.

Political Warning Ahead of Panchayat Elections

Farmer leaders have also issued a political warning, stating that political parties will face consequences in upcoming Panchayat elections if farmers’ grievances continue to be ignored. They stressed that reopening the Keshoraipatan sugar mill is vital for restoring prosperity in the region.

Several farmer leaders and local representatives, including Devkishan Meena, Harishankar Nagar, Pushchand Gurjar, Naresh Dhakad, Ramsagar Nagar, Kalam Rathore, and others, are actively mobilizing villagers and extending invitations to ensure a massive turnout.

With farmers across Rajasthan increasingly vocal and organized, the December 28 Mahapanchayat in Bundi is being seen as a potential flashpoint that could significantly escalate pressure on the state government in the days ahead.

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